84 VISITS TO MADAGASCAR. CHAP. IV. A short time previous to this visit, Mr. Hardy, a Wesleyan missionary, had arrived from Madras with his wife and family on his way to the Cape for the recovery of his health. On reaching Mauritius he was too ill to proceed, and was brought on shore with but slight hopes of his recovery. I visited him on the day of his arrival, and frequently afterwards, and was much pleased to observe his gradual recovery. A few days after my return from Eeduit I attended a conference of friends whom he had invited to advise with him as to the desirableness of his remaining in Mauritius, and devoting his efforts to the religious instruction of the Coolies, or Indian labourers in the island. Some of the planters and other Christian residents had often expressed their deep regret on account of the want of every means of religious improvement for these labourers, of whom there were 90,000 in Mauritius. An attempt which had been made to teach some of their children English, had proved abortive; but the want was felt to be so pressing, the number to whom access could be obtained so considerable, and the hope so encouraging of securing native agents either as schoolmasters, Scripture- readers, or colporteurs and Bible distributors, that Mr. Hardy was recommended to remain at Mauritius with his family, until he could receive the instructions of his society in England. Mr. Hardy remained some months in Port Louis, distributing the Scriptures, and preaching in his own hired house to such as came to hear him; and, though not without individual instances of beneficial results, yet, as he did not receive instructions from England to remain, he sub sequently proceeded to the Cape of Good Hope, and finally to Australia. I still continued to preach every Sunday to small but attentive congregations of seamen and others at the Port Office. In the afternoon I attended the French service at M. Le Brun’s; and as some members of Mr. Kelsey’s house-